‘Awaam Pakistan’ launched to ‘change the system’
Disillusioned by PML-N’s politics, its former heavyweights Miftah Ismail and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday officially launched their new party, Awaam Pakistan, declaring it to be “open for all” to join. Abbasi himself will serve as convener, while Miftah Ismail has been appointed its secretary general. The intra-party elections were held on June 19.
The organising committee of the party consists of 20 members – mostly former PML-N politicians, including Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Dr Zafar Mirza, Zaeem Qadri, Sheikh Salahuddin, and others. It was revealed at the launch ceremony that the new party’s flag will be half green and half blue, with the party’s name written on it in white letters. The slogan for the party is ‘Badlain ge nizam’ (We will change the system).
The brainchild of Ismail and Abbasi,
Awaam Pakistan aims to steer the country out of its perennial crises. The party had been making waves since last month when a teaser video posted on the X account of the two politicians hinted at a new dawn with the tagline “Awaam Pakistan: Badlein ge nizam”.
Ismail, a former finance minister, speaking at the launch, said that the vision of Awaam Pakistan is to create equal economic opportunities for all Pakistanis, steering clear of “dynastic politics” and the notion of a “messiah.”
Khaqan Abbasi said that the current political landscape in Pakistan is shaped by the security establishment. He pointed out that politicians are often questioned about their alignment with the establishment, indicating a widespread belief that politics cannot function without it. Abbasi stressed that if politics is solely for power, he cannot be part of it, declaring, “Remember, those with Form 47 cannot build a nation.”
Meanwhile, Ismail urged people to join the movement, saying, “If you believe that we have the right to move forward […] then join us, we will stand with you and rebuild Pakistan.”
He set the tone by stating, “No senior party member will serve more than two terms,” and added, “Nor will their children come and take their position. We are not going to have dynasties or cults of personality here, we will operate on merit.”
Ismail lamented how Pakistan had fallen behind its peers in nearly every sector. “There was a time not long ago when Pakistan was the richest country in South Asia, now we are behind everyone else,” he pointed out, noting that Pakistan even lagged behind Nepal in human development.
“The most children out of school in the world are in Pakistan, and not in bigger countries like China,” he highlighted. Despite the government’s hefty spending on education, he rued, the country remains behind even Sudan, Yemen, and Papua New Guinea.
Ismail painted a grim picture of 100 million Pakistanis living below the poverty line, with children going to bed hungry. “This is where our politicians have brought us,” he lamented. He stressed that malnutrition had stunted the physical and mental development of 40 per cent of Pakistanis.
“If these children have no future, then what future does the country have?” he asked. “We have been left behind because we are a predatory state,” he declared. “To our politicians, we are not citizens; we’re prey.”
Ismail criticised the recent budget for being tailored to benefit politicians. “Taxes have been doubled for those who make between Rs75,000 and Rs100,000. Imagine how much they have to pay in addition to utilities, fees, and medical bills,” he said.
His party’s primary aim, he stated, would be to create opportunities for Pakistanis to move forward.
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also took the stage, bemoaning how politics had become more about securing seats than serving the public. “It is upsetting that we worry about our seats more than our country,” he remarked.
He expressed hope that the public “wish to be part of something better” and noted that “the first step in a difficult journey has been taken.”
Abbasi emphasised that Awaam Pakistan was an “unconventional party” and that they were presenting an idea rather than forming a traditional political party. “Anyone can take a group of electables, establish some internal structure, and call themselves a political party,” he said.
“We have not invited anybody in yet; we’ve simply presented an idea. When we’re ready, we’ll reach out and begin talking to people.”
He highlighted the importance of ability and influence over mere recognition, stressing that his party sought contributors, not takers. “We want people who will contribute something to the country, not take from it,” he stated.
Regarding the party’s ideology, Abbasi declared, “Our ideology is helping the people of Pakistan and taking responsibility for them. We need to uplift the country. If we don’t, who will? Awaam Pakistan is the name of that idea.”
Echoing Ismail, Abbasi underscored the importance of adhering to the Constitution and the law. “It is upsetting that 70 years have passed and we still don’t respect the Constitution,” he said.
He noted the tragedy of those sworn to defend the Constitution breaking it every day.
Abbasi announced that within three to four weeks, the party would release a mission statement outlining its goals and policies. “We will present a solution to the country’s problems in this statement, to prove that we aren’t just all talk,” he assured.
The former PM addressed the issue of the establishment’s influence, stating, “In this country, the common man believes that nothing can happen without the establishment’s say-so.”
He criticised politicians who preach accountability while evading taxes themselves, slamming the revenue collection, governance, and policing systems as “useless.”
“The people on this stage can provide better solutions than our current politicians,” Abbasi said, to a round of applause.
In addition to Ismail and Abbasi, former PML-N leader and K-P governor Mehtab Abbasi and former PM’s aide Zafar Mirza also addressed the event, lending their voices to the dawn of Awaam Pakistan.